I remember reading a Victorian cyclist death yesterdayso I did a quick Google news search and the saved examples include "cyclists killed". So decided to create a rather morbid thread documenting fatal incidents involving cyclists here. I don't know how long this thread will last due to its sensitive nature but I wanted to post the cyclists deaths here instead of creating different threads by state.

<Moderater addition - when participation and contributing in this thread, please take care to respect the family and friends when commenting. As a very sensitive topic, I would note that for this reason this thread is on trial>

Last edited by Mulger bill on Wed Jan 18, 2012 6:19 am, edited 4 times in total.
Reason:Moderater included important note for this sensitive topic

A BALLARAT cyclist has died after his bike and a car collided near Geelong yesterday.

Paramedics treated the rider, 53, of Lake Wendouree, at the scene but were unable to revive him.

The mother of killed Ballarat cyclist Amy Gillett choked back tears yesterday when she heard the news as her daughter's tribute event was being held nearby.

The accident at Drysdale happened just kilometres from the route taken by almost 3000 cyclists in the sixth annual Amy's Ride.

The news of the death ripped through the cycling community as so many of them gathered in the Geelong region yesterday for Amy's Ride and the Jayco Cycling Classic.

Leading Senior Constable Jason Williamson, of Geelong Highway Patrol, said the man was riding west along Murradoc Road, near Clarendon Road, about 9.20am when he and a Honda CRV collided.

Witnesses told police the Honda, driven by a 27-year-old Point Lonsdale woman, was travelling in the same direction as the cyclist when the collision occurred.

"Our investigations are ongoing. She (the driver) was extremely traumatised but drugs and alcohol were not a factor," Sen Const Williamson said.

The man was not taking part in the Amy's Ride when the incident occurred.

The annual cycling event is held to promote awareness of safe and responsible road use and raise funds for the Amy Gillett Foundation, which was set up after Gillett was hit and killed by a car while cycling in Germany in 2005.

Her mother Mary Safe, who was in the region yesterday for Amy's Ride, wiped tears from her face when she heard of another rider being killed.

"I feel shocked to hear someone lost their life on the road and I understand the grief that the family will now have to deal with, it's just unnecessary," Mrs Safe said.

"It reinforces why we need to share the road. We just all need to slow down. Cars don't kill cyclists, drivers do."

Australian sprint king Robbie McEwen, a winner of 12 stages in the Tour De France, said he was deeply saddened by the news.

"That's the news that nobody wants to hear about anybody," he said.

"It really hits home when you think about your own own situation and not coming back to your family.

Police said a cyclist in his twenties was killed in a single-vehicle accident at Booroobin, near Maleny, on the Sunshine Coast hinterland, taking the Queensland toll to 12 for the holiday period.

Very sad for the person and their families. Horrible to hear of anyone badly injured or killed.

Love this crap in the paper though:"Nationwide campaigns targeting speeding drivers appear to have brought results, with a 10 per cent reduction in road deaths last year. Overall, 1368 people died in road crashes last year, down 139 from 1507 deaths in 2009."

Yes 2010 was good year, and one of the best on record, BUT 2008 was better then 2009 and the second best on for the last 10 years or so. To what do they attribute 2008's good figures. Also how many km's travelled were there? There's a lot more factors than just speed involved in the road toll.

As an aside as far as the Xmas toll goes. Our daily average Aus wide for road deaths is 4.45 for the last 5yrs. So this year we had 11 days of Xmas 24/12 to 3/1 so that should equate to 49 deaths. According to the report we had 44 or about 10% down. That's pretty much the same reduction as the annual figures: i.e. 2010 (1368) compared to 2009 (1507) or down 139. So overall Xmas is no more dangerous on the roads than any other time of the year.

The FAMILY of a Ballarat man killed in a cycling accident near Geelong last weekend wants a bike path built to make conditions safer for cyclists. The David Sidebottom Memorial Fund has been set up to fund construction of a dedicated cycling path in Ballarat. Mr Sidebottom, 53, of Lake Wendouree died after he was struck by a car while cycling along a road at Drysdale on January 2. His funeral will be held at Wendouree Centre for Performing Arts on Monday, from 11am. The family has requested donations to the fund be made in lieu of flowers. Contributions can be lodged at the funeral. Other donations can be sent to the David Sidebottom Memorial Fund, PO Box 400, Howitt St, Wendouree 3355.

Meanwhile, Geelong police are still investigating the cause of the collision which killed Mr Sidebottom. Senior Sergeant Shane Coles of Geelong Traffic Management Unit said no charges have been laid at this stage.

The dangers of cycling in Sydney have been highlighted by what appears to have been a rider's tragic mistake.

The 34-year-old cyclist was travelling west on Belvoir Street near the intersection of Elizabeth Street in Surry Hills about 11.15am yesterday when he tried to stop suddenly but was thrown over his bicycle's handlebars into the path of a bus, a police spokeswoman said.

The secretary of the NSW Rail, Tram and Bus Union's bus division, Raul Baonza, said the driver of what is understood to have been a Coogee-bound 372 was "extremely upset".

A CYCLIST was killed in an accident on Stony Creek Rd this morning and police are searching for witnesses.

Police from Mount Druitt Local Area Command attended the accident just before 7am when a Mitsubishi and cyclist collided at Shanes Park.Police and Ambulance Paramedics attended the scene; however the cyclist Â­â€“ believed to be aged in his 20s died at the scene.The male driver of the Mitsubishi was taken to hospital for mandatory blood and urine testing.Stony Creek Rd is closed in both directions at the intersection of Palmyra Road. There are also road closures near Shanes Creek Rd.Motorists are advised to avoid the area where possible. A report will be prepared for the information of the coroner.Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or events leading up to the incident is being urged to contact Mount Druitt Police via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

A woman riding a bicycle in rural Victoria has died after being hit by a car. The 46-year-old cyclist died at the scene of the crash, after a car ran into her bicycle from behind just after 11am (AEST) in Warrnambool. A 19-year-old man who drove the car was assisting police with inquiries, a spokeswoman for Victoria Police said. Neither the driver nor his female passenger were injured in the crash.

The woman's death brings the state's road toll to 75, compared to 77 at the same time in 2010.

There have been a number of cycling fatalities in the past two years where the person responsible has been found guilty of causing death by careless driving, rather than the more serious offence of causing death by dangerous driving.

Even then, the sentences passed do not satisfy many cyclists. The perception amongst the cycling community is that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) or the judiciary do not appear to be treating cyclist deaths like those of other road users.

It's believed that the CPS should be looking to prosecute more drivers for the more serious offence of causing death by dangerous driving, rather than the lesser offence of causing death by careless driving.

A CYCLIST was killed in an accident on Stony Creek Rd this morning and police are searching for witnesses.

Police from Mount Druitt Local Area Command attended the accident just before 7am when a Mitsubishi and cyclist collided at Shanes Park.Police and Ambulance Paramedics attended the scene; however the cyclist Â­â€“ believed to be aged in his 20s died at the scene.The male driver of the Mitsubishi was taken to hospital for mandatory blood and urine testing.Stony Creek Rd is closed in both directions at the intersection of Palmyra Road. There are also road closures near Shanes Creek Rd.Motorists are advised to avoid the area where possible. A report will be prepared for the information of the coroner.Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or events leading up to the incident is being urged to contact Mount Druitt Police via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

This is an appalling road for cycling, as dangerous as any road I know. No shoulders, quite narrow, fairly heavy traffic, 80km/h speed limit which is frequently exceeded, and blind corners at the South Creek floodway. I would not ride on it for quids.

Around 10am, the 60-year-old male cyclist and the driver of a Holden Astra collided at Malvern. The cyclist was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital in a critical condition but died a short time later. Police are investigating the crash.

A CYCLIST was killed in an accident on Stony Creek Rd this morning and police are searching for witnesses.

Police from Mount Druitt Local Area Command attended the accident just before 7am when a Mitsubishi and cyclist collided at Shanes Park.Police and Ambulance Paramedics attended the scene; however the cyclist Â­â€“ believed to be aged in his 20s died at the scene.The male driver of the Mitsubishi was taken to hospital for mandatory blood and urine testing.Stony Creek Rd is closed in both directions at the intersection of Palmyra Road. There are also road closures near Shanes Creek Rd.Motorists are advised to avoid the area where possible. A report will be prepared for the information of the coroner.Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or events leading up to the incident is being urged to contact Mount Druitt Police via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

This is an appalling road for cycling, as dangerous as any road I know. No shoulders, quite narrow, fairly heavy traffic, 80km/h speed limit which is frequently exceeded, and blind corners at the South Creek floodway. I would not ride on it for quids.

Cycling infrastructure west of Blacktown is pretty much non-existant.

I used to about 4yrs ago, before I got sick of having the crap scared out of my by cars driving too fast/too close. Was very sad to hear about this accident when it happend...

A cyclist who stopped by the side of the road to change a tyre has been hit and killed by a car. Police have been told the woman, aged in her 60s, was with three other cyclists when the group stopped to fix a punctured tyre on New Dookie Road at Cosgrove just after 11am (AEST) on Saturday. The group had been riding towards Shepparton in the state's north. The female car driver, aged in her 40s, was taken to hospital to be treated for shock. Major Collision Investigators are on the way to the scene to investigate the cause of the crash.

AN 18-YEAR-OLD man was killed yesterday after the bicycle he was riding collided with a four-wheel-drive in Glenvale. The man was riding south along Hampton St when he collided with the four-wheel-drive travelling west along Glenvale Rd about 4.25pm. Queensland Fire and Rescue Service station officer Darrin Kerr said firefighters came across the scene on the way back to Anzac Avenue station from another job.

â€œOn arrival, he was in the gutter surrounded by members of the public,â€ Mr Kerr said.

â€œOne of the firefighters commenced CPR on him and continued until QAS (Queensland Ambulance Service) arrived.â€

QAS regional operations supervisor Russell Cooke said the man had no noticeable heartbeat when paramedics arrived. They were able to revive him before he was rushed to Toowoomba Hospital. The man was revived a number of times before he died.

â€œHe sustained a significant head injury,â€ Mr Cooke said.

â€œIt is likely he also had other major underlying injuries.â€

The 33-year-old male driver of the 4WD was taken to Toowoomba Hospital to be treated for shock.

I read that in the local rag and immediately though of how his family will attempt to cope. It is a good reminder to ride safely, if not for ourselves but for our loved ones and the responsibilities left to someone else if you are gone.